From The Darkness To The Light
by Azkadellio
Summary: First attempt at Cori. After Beck breaks up with Jade and turns their friends against her, Jade starts forcing Cat to hang out with her, threatening her to do so. When Tori finds out, she starts to do anything she can to help the red head she has started to fall for. T for language and violence. Story plot is not mine. Given to me by Raiultima. On hiatus.
1. Hidden Abuse

**This is a story idea given to me by Raiultima. It's my first attempt at Cori, and no offense, might be my only attempt. In this story, I go out of my comfort zone, especially with a character we see early on. Two characters, one I don't like being the bad guy and one I've used as the bad guy before, will be seen early on before the main story itself starts. I don't plan on giving anything away, so please read. This story will have between 15 and 17 chapters. The first 15 were outlined by Raiultima for me, and I will try to follow the outline as best I can. Chapter 16 might be a slight jump in time, at most 4 year difference, and 17 would be an epilogue. I hope it's okay I added the two extra chapters, Raiultima.**

**Anyway, this story takes place one month before graduation. Since I don't know the timeline of the series, I'm having it take place a few months or so after the end of the series. I will try to keep everyone in character as best I can, but Cat's kind of OC. I hope that's okay.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own VicTORIous, the characters, or the idea of this story. I am helping Raiultima out and doing this for him.**

**Thank you for clicking this, and please review.**

_Epilogue_

_No POV_

Months after Sikowitz's 'yes' challenge, the Bade couple have been getting into their old habit of fighting. Shortly after the challence, Beck found out that Jade overheard him and Tori talking, and was upset that she would rather spend time with someone she doesn't like instead of her boyfriend, and the old Bade came back.

Just over a month left in school, Beck breaks up with Jade due to her jealousy and anger issues. No one outside of the two knew what happened in private, and Beck used that to his advantage. He told all of their friends that she broke up with him and insulted the gang, saying things that essentially turned them against her. The only one who didn't, at first anyway, was Jade's long time friend Cat.

Cat tried to stand by her best friend and stick with the others, but Jade being the jealous gank, didn't like it. She would force the small red head to hang out with her all the time, not giving her a chance to argue or anything. Of the few times Jade got violent in front of people, the Goth would simply walk away, scowling at everyone who got in her way.

Just like shortly after Beck and Jade broke up last time, Jade forced herself on Cat's plans. But when she found out that Cat was staying the night with Tori, she grabbed her arm tightly, not letting her go until Cat agreed to cancel the sleepover with Tori to have one with Jade instead.

_**Chapter 1-Hidden Abuse**_

"Cat!" Jade yells to the red head in the middle of the silent school hallways the monday morning after the sleepover, before school starts. "You're hanging out with me after school. Do not question me." She says, grabbing Cat's forearm in the same spot as she always does, where she knows Cat keeps hidden with her shirts and jackets.

"I can't. André and I have that song to work on after school." Cat says, tears in her eyes. "Please, let me go." She says, her voice quiet.

"Cancel it." Jade responds, her grip not loosening.

"I can't. It's due on Wednesday and we haven't had the chance to write the lyrics yet. Please." Cat says, her tears sliding down her face, eyes begging, voice shaking.

"Fine." Jade says, increasing her grip for a second before pushing Cat away. "But you better get the lyrics finished tonight. Tomorrow, after school, you're hanging out with me. Do not try to get out of it." She says with a glare before turning and walking to her locker.

Heading to the bathroom on the second floor, where not a lot of students go unless pass through to class, Cat wipes the tears and make-up from her eyes, walking quickly to get away from Jade. She tried to be her friend, but since the break-up, Jade has become someone the innocent red head didn't think she'd see, the Wicked Witch of the West, aimed at her.

Quickly wiping away the rest of her tears, Cat re-does her make-up and puts on her façade of being happy. It hasn't been real since Jade started mistreating her, and eventually becoming abusive to her. The few times she is genuinely happy is when it's just her and Tori at the youngest Vega's house. Of the few times she's been over, her façade is not needed because there's something about the young half-Latina that soothes Cat.

_Cat POV_

"Hey Cat." Tori says as I head down to my locker, not noticing that most of the students have already gotten here.

"Hey Tori. How was your weekend?" I ask her, some of my old happiness coming in, my mask not needed as much. "Sorry about not being able to make it to the sleepover." I say, dropping my gaze.

"It's okay. I understand." She says, genuinely not upset that I canceled. "How is your brother, by the way? What did you say happened?" She asks, following me to my locker, which was recently moved by hers when the school did construction and some of the students had to move theirs.

"He swallowed another charm bracelet. This time it was too big and we had to go to a special hospital to get it removed. I was the only one with a blood match to his, so I had to go and help." I tell her, remembering the lie I told her. I didn't want to lie to her, but she couldn't know the truth. "He's okay now. But now someone has to stay with him and make sure he doesn't eat anything he's not supposed to."

"That's good at least." She says, opening hers as I open mine, a smile on her face. "How's the song with André coming along?" She asks, taking out some notebooks and books for class.

"Good. We got some of the lyrics written, and most of the music. We're finishing it today after school." I tell her, a rare, real smile on my face. "How come you didn't help him?" I ask, closing my locker after getting the necessary books for my morning classes.

"Couldn't. I was out the day it was assigned." She says, frowning slightly, as she closes her locker. "Oh, well. It'll be nice to see what song you two come up with though." She says, her smile returning.

"Thanks. I need to go, okay? I have to meet up with Lane about something." I tell her, giving her a quick hug before heading towards Lane's office.

"See you in Sikowitz's." She says after me, heading in the direction of where I'm guessing the guys are.

_Jade POV_

'What the hell is Cat doing talking to Vega?' I ask myself, glaring at them both as Cat rushes off and Vega heads over to André and Beck. 'She knows she's not allowed near Vega.'

I watch the others, the people that used to be in my group of acquaintances. Before Beck broke up with me and forced them to hate me, anyway. 'Cat, if you lied to me about working with Harris after school today, you'll regret it.' I say to myself, slamming my locker and walking away, glaring at the three standing by the piano locker.

_No POV_

Throughout the rest of the day, Jade silently watches Cat, especially during lunch where both Cat and Tori sit closer to each other than usual. At the end of the day, Jade watches Vega leave, Beck offering her a ride home since the young half-Latina has a license now, but still no car. Robbie leaves soon after, arguing with Rex as they go. She goes to the music room, and sees Cat and André working on a song, like Cat said. She leaves the school, making as little sound as possible, and heads home in her solid black, 2013 Dodge Challenger, a smirk on her face as an idea hits her.

In the music room, Cat sits quietly, listening to André add to the last to the music, earning a nod of agreement from Cat.

"What do you think of everything so far?" André asks her, leaning back on the chair slightly.

"I like it." She says with a smile, singing some of the lyrics she and André wrote. "Good so far?" She asks, setting the notebook down and looking at him.

"Yep. A few more verses and I think we're good." He says with a smile.

The two teens spend the next couple of hours working on the lyrics and changing the music so everything fits. By 6:30, they have everything done and recorded. After André sends a copy to their teacher, he sends a copy to himself and Cat, as well as giving her a copy of the music, and her giving him a copy of the lyrics, a ritual of sorts the two teens, plus Tori, do on occasion.

"You need a ride, Lil' Red?" André asks, putting everything away in his bag.

"No. My brother's picking me up in a few minutes." She responds, doing the same as André before standing up, placing the straps of her bag over her shoulders.

"Alright. Want me to wait with you?" He asks her. But before she can answer, his phone goes off. "Hello?"

"André! There's another me in the bathroom!" His grandma yells over the phone, causing André to hold his phone in front of him and Cat to jump back slightly.

"Did you put it on speaker?" She asks him, staring at his phone.

"Nope. See you tomorrow Cat." He says, giving her a hug and leaving the room. "Grandma, we talked about this like twenty times. It's just a mirror. Nothing to worry about." He says on his way out the door.

"His grandma's weird." Cat says to herself, leaving the building a few moments after André.

"Hello Cat." A voice says, causing Cat to turn around to face it.

"Jade." She says quietly, staring with eyes wide in fear at the Goth in front of her, stepping back slightly when she notices Jade's smirk.

**I have a problem with using cliffhangers, don't I? Anyway, this chapter is actually shorter than what I intended, but that's because of how I ended it. The rest of the chapters should be longer, I hope.**

**Please review and let me know what you think so far. I feel bad having Jade be such a dark character, at least for how I usually have her, but it goes with the story. This story will alternate between Cat's, Tori's, and Jade's point of views, as well as no point of view to show an overall of the characters.**

**Thank you for reading, and I plan on doing one chapter a week. Two if I get them finished early enough.**

**Blessed Be.**


	2. Silent Abuse

"Jade." Cat says quietly, staring with eyes wide in fear at the Goth in front of her, stepping back slightly when she notices Jade's smirk.

"Have fun with André?" Jade asks, saying André with a slight scowl.

"All we did was work on the song. That's it." Cat says, backing away as Jade steps towards her, fear in the young red head's voice.

"And where are you going now?" Jade asks with fake innocence, keeping in step with Cat.

"Home. I'm waiting for Frankie to pick me up." She says, stopping when her back hits the wall of the school.

"No, you're not. I texted him with your phone and told him that I was giving you a ride." Jade says with a smirk, handing Cat her phone.

"But, I had it when I was done talking to André." Cat says, fear and confusion growing.

"You know how I am." Jade says, stopping a foot away from Cat. "What did you and Harris talk about when you weren't working on the song?" SHe asks, her voice now having a threatening tone.

"Nothing. All we did was work on the song. That's it. I swear." Cat says, tears pouring down her eyes as she stares at who she thought was her best friend.

"You're not lying to me, are you Cat? I mean, you wouldn't lie to your best friend, would you?" Jade says, her voice going back to it's fake innocence.

"No. Of course not." Cat says, her eyes closed as the tears pour down.

"Good." Jade says with a smile, dropping it when she continues talking. "Now come on. I don't want to stay here anymore." She says, turning and heading towards her 2013 black Dodge Challenger and slamming the driver's side as she sees Cat cautiously follow into the passenger's side.

As soon as Cat closes the door, Jade starts the car and pulls out of the school's parking lot, Otep's 'Fist's Fall' blaring from the car's speakers. Jade ignores Cat's complaints about the music and it's loudness.

"I'm picking you up at quarter to seven tomorrow for school." Jade says, turning the music down long enough to tell Cat before turning it up, ignoring Cat's pout as she opens the passenger door and gently closes it.

The next morning, at 6:45, Cat walks over to Jade's car, hesitant to get in when she sees the glare on Jade's face.

"What's wrong?" Cat asks, staring at the Goth beside her.

"Were you talking to Vega last night?" Jade asks, her voice low as she starts to pull out of the Valentine's driveway.

"She was just asking about how the project went with André last night. How did you know about that?" Cat asks, giving Jade a curious look.

"I say her message you on The Slap. I knew something was up when you didn't respond to her. You always respond when someone messages you." The Goth replies, keeping her eyes on the road in front of her. "Why didn't she just ask André?"

"She did." Cat answers. "She wanted to talk to me as well though."

"Do you like her more than me?" Jade asks after minutes of uncomfortable silence as they pull into the Hollywood Arts parking lot.

"What do you mean?" Cat asks, giving Jade a confused look.

"You seem to spend more time with her than me. Are we not friends too?" Jade asks, finally looking at Cat, her voice becoming darker as she asks her question.

"Of course we are." Cat asks, her fear rising again when she sees the look in Jade's eyes.

"Then why didn't you call or text me last night?" She asks, her right hand applying slight pressure to Cat's left thigh.

"I just saw you a moment before." Cat says, wincing from the slight pain. "I thought you were going home to sleep, so I let you." Wincing as Jade applies more pressure.

"You're lucky André and Beck just got here." Jade says through gritted teeth, releasing Cat's thigh as she gets out of her car and leaves Cat there.

"Why were you giving Cat a ride?" Beck questions his ex-girlfriend as she passes him and André.

"I'm not allowed to give my friend a ride to school?" She deadpans as she passes.

"You better not be messing with her." André tells her, watching the Goth cautiously as she passes.

"What are you gonna do about it, Harris?" Jade asks, turning to face him. "Nothing to say?" She taunts with a smirk. "That's what I thought." She says, walking back into the school, ignoring the others.

"You okay Cat?" Beck asks when Cat finally joins him and André.

"Fine. Just a little tired. My brother kept me up all night banging on the walls." Cat says with a fake smile.

"Why was he banging on the walls?" Beck asks, temporarily forgetting about Jade.

"He thought there were ghosts." She says, bouncing slightly, keeping the façade of happiness up.

"THere's something wrong with that guy." André says, shaking his head back and forth. "Why do you still hang out with Jade?" He asks shortly after they start heading towards the school.

"She's still my friend. She needs a friend." Cat answers, truthfully, as they go into the school.

"Why? She's a royal gang to you." Beck asks curiously as they get to the doors.

"Everyone needs a friend." Cat answers as Beck opens the door and holds it open for his friends. "See you guys in Sikowitz's class." She says, skipping off to her locker. "Hey Tori." She says slightly hesitant when she sees the Latina at her locker.

"Hey. You okay?" Tori asks when she notices Cat's unusual shakiness.

"I'm fine." Cat responds quickly when she sees Jade glaring at her from the corner of her eyes. "Just tired." She says, a small smile on her face.

"What'd your brother do this time?" Tori asks, leaning against her locker with a smile, knowing the craziness of Cat's brother because of the stories Cat tells.

"He kept me up all night, banging on the walls."

"Why?" She asks, shifting her bag.

"He thought there we ghosts in the walls and wanted to scare them out." Cat says, using the same lie as she did Beck and André.

"Anyway." Tori says, still smiling. "I was wondering if you wanted to stay the night Friday night? We haven't done a 'Funny Nugget Show' in a while, and I miss having you over." She says, giving Cat a hopeful look.

"Um, I'll have to think about it." Cat says, glancing at Jade quickly. She turns her attention back to Tori when she sees the fierce glare from the Goth across the hall. "I'll let you know later in the week, okay?"

"Sure. See ya. I got to get to class early. See ya in Sikowitz's." The Latina says, giving Cat a hug.

"See ya." She says, a real smile on her face as Tori turns the corner and leaves.

Shortly after Tori's out of sight, she closes he locker, only to have a tight grip on her forearm, the same place that Jade always grabs.

"What the hell was that about?" Jade asks, tightening her grip on Cat.

"Nothing. We were just talking." Cat cries out, looking around for help, but seeing no one.

"What did she asks you?" Jade says, grabbing her other arm and gripping that one as tight as the other.

"She asked if I could stay the night this weekend." The small red head says, tears in her eyes from the pain, knowing that it's better to tell her the truth quickly to save herself from more pain.

"And what did you say in return?" The Goth asks, her teeth clenched tightly.

"I told her I'd have to wait to see."

"Good girl." Jade says, letting Cat go. "Tell her you can't stay. Say your parents are taking your brother to the hospital again and need you to stay home and keep an eye on things. I'll be over Friday night." She says, walking away as the bell rings, ignoring the small red head now sitting on the floor, her back to the lockers, knees against her chest, as she cries.

**The end of chapter 2.**

**Thank you for reading and please review. I've noticed that my chapters tend to end on cliffhangers for this story. That's not intentional, but I think it works. I'll try to update every Thursday for this story. Friday at the latest.**

**Blessed Be.**


	3. A Breif Moment Of Light

**To anyone not liking how I portray Jade in this fic, I'm sorry. I don't like doing it, but it's a part of the story. Also, I apparently lost a reader because of this, and to them and anyone who doesn't like the Jade in this, I don't know what to say other than I'm sorry, and I doubt I'll make an evil Jade again.**

**As for my CaTorAde fic, I also lost a reader, maybe the same one, because of the first two chapters being based from the pilot. I don't know what to say, other than it's how I decided to introduce the characters and get started on the story. Chapter 3 and up are not based off of episodes, so if the guest or guests would like to start from there, then okay. If not, I'm sorry to say I won't hear from you anymore.**

**I don't mean to call anyone out, but it's my current thought process.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

"Good girl." Jade says, releasing her grip on Cat. "Tell her you can't stay. Say your parents are taking your brother to the hospital again and need you to stay home and keep an eye on things. I'll be over Friday night." She says, walking away as the bell rings, ignoring the small red head now sitting on the floor, her back to the lockers, knees against her chest, as she cries.

Cat sits against the locker for close to fifteen minutes before getting up and hiding in the janitor's closet. Usually, that's a bad place to hide from Jade, but since the break-up, Jade has kept her distance from there, taking to hiding elsewhere. She can hear the bell ring, signifying the end of class and she gets up to leave, not wanting to miss Sikowitz's class.

"How come you weren't in class?" André asks her as she passes him on her way to Sikowitz's.

"Wasn't feeling well. I took a nap in the nurses office." Cat tells him, keeping her face away from his gaze in case he noticed she was lying.

"You feeling any better?" He asks, concern in his voice, as they near the class.

"Yeah. I might not eat that much for lunch though. Don't want to get sick." She says, opening the door.

"Hey Cat." Tori says as the red head enter the class, taking the seat behind her. "Sit by me today." She says with a pout.

"No." Jade says, sitting down beside Cat and plopping her feet on Cat's lap with force, causing Cat to flinch.

"She can sit by whoever she wants, not just you, you know Jade?" Tori says, giving Cat a sympathetic look.

"Who says she doesn't want to sit with me Vega?" Jade spits, glaring at the young Latina.

"Good morning class." Sikowitz says, walking in and tossing his bag to the side, interrupting the two girls.

Occasionally, Tori would glance back at Cat, noting how uncomfortable she looks by Jade. She takes a quick glance at Jade and sees a fierce glint in the Goth's eyes, surprisingly aimed at Cat. Without realizing, the bell rings, causing everyone to get up and head to lunch.

"Tori. Cat. Stay after class. I need to speak with you two." Sikowitz says, stopping the two girls.

"I'll see you in lunch." Cat says quietly to Jade, who walks away like Cat's not even there.

"What do you need us for?" Tori asks, watching Cat curiously.

"Since either of you girls were paying attention in class today, I have an assignment for you two." He says, grabbing a coconut and sipping from it. "Today, I was talking about group acting assignments, and since you two were too busy focusing on something else, you two will be partners. This Friday and Saturday nights, the two of you are to hang out, do whatever teenage girls do, until Sunday afternoon. And you must have a sleepover both nights. One of you will stay with the other all weekend. Understood?"

"Yeah. I guess." Cat says as Tori nods in agreement.

"Good. Since your brother worries me, you will stay at Tori's." Sikowitz says to Cat. "All you'll need is two or three days worth of clothes. I'll go over the rest of the assignment tomorrow in class." He says, walking out of the classroom.

"Well, okay." Tori says, watching Sikowitz leave. "Let me know by Thursday if you need a ride to my place Friday, okay?" She says, turning to Cat.

"Sure. I'll let my parents know." Cat says, giving Tori a hug before waving bye, heading out to lunch.

"Wait for me." Tori says with a laugh, following Cat out the door. Unbeknownst to either girl, a certain Goth was watching the entire scene play out, a scowl on her face.

"Sikowitz!" Jade yells, catching up to the teacher.

"Yes, Jade?" He asks, sipping from his coconut.

"Cat can't stay at Vega's this weekend." She says, glaring at the man.

"And how would you know that's happening?" He asks, not surprised that she knew.

"Cat told me."

"Really? Then how, pray tell, did she do that if she was in such a hurry to get to lunch? The time it would have taken her to tell you, and for you to find me, would have meant that she told you as soon as she left my class and you turn and ran to catch me." He says, knowing the truth.

"She is not staying at Vega's. I'll be her partner." Jade says, clenching her teeth.

"I'm sorry Jade. No can do. Remember, you're exempt from this assignment because of the meeting you have for college this weekend." Sikowitz says, throwing the coconut away. "I don't know why you won't let Cat hang out with Tori, but unless you want her to fail because of your jealousy issues, you have no choice." He tells her, walking away.

After Sikowitz gets out of eye sight, Jade turns and leaves the school, glaring at Cat when she sees her sitting beside Tori at the gang's usual lunch table. Without a second look, the Goth leaves the school grounds, blasting 'Indestructible' by Disturbed as she goes.

"What was that about?" Beck asks, watching as his ex-girlfriend drives out of the parking lot.

"No idea." Cat says, watching the same scene, but with fear in her eyes.

"I can't believe I tried to be her friend for so long." Tori says, watching the same scene as everyone else, but showing little emotion as she speaks. "Well, too late to care now." She says, shifting slightly closer to Cat.

"I'm gonna call my mom and see if it's okay that I stay at your place this weekend. She and my dad'll be busy with my brother." Cat says, standing up and heading towards the school for privacy.

_**Tori POV**_

"You are so smitten." André whispers in my ear as I watch Cat head towards the school. "Tell her." He says, elbowing me gently to get my attention.

"How? It won't be easy." I tell him, finally looking at my best friend. "She's always so close to Jade now. And even when she's not, she looks like she has a lot on her mind. I don't want to add to it or anything. I want to help her, not make things worse." I tell him, pouting slightly.

"Relax. You'll have the weekend to talk to her." He says, keeping his voice low so Robbie and Beck don't hear us. "You know her mom will allow it."

"I know. It's also Jade I'm worried about." I say, looking over my shoulder to see Cat with a worried look on her face as she talks on her phone.

"Why are you worried about _her_?" He asks, his anger and confusion evident when he says 'her'.

"It's more about when she's with Cat. Cat always looks like someone's out to get her, and considering how Jade is, I think it's her." I say, looking back to André when Cat looks up.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." André says, taking a quick glance at Cat. "Whenever Jade forces Cat to ride to school with her, Cat always looks like she's about ready to pass out." He says, worried for our friend.

"I know. And have you noticed that she never wears short sleeves anymore?" I ask him, leaning forward slightly to hide our conversation a bit. "No matter the weather, or situation, her sleeves always make sure to cover her forearms."

"You don't think Jade's hurting her, do you?" He asks, surprised.

"Would you put it past her?"

"Good point." He says, sighing when he realizes she would.

"My mom said okay." Cat says, a few feet away. "She's taking my brother to the special hospital Thursday and my dad has to go as well." She says with a smile, sitting down beside me.

"Yay." I say, giving her a hug. 'I hope she didn't hear André and I talking.' I think to myself when she returns the hug.

"What were you guys whispering about?" She asks me, confusion in her voice.

"I was asking her if she could help me write a song after school today. I need some help on the lyrics." André says, not letting me answer.

"I told him I should be able to. I'm not needed at home until dinner." I supply when Cat gives us a questioning look.

"Oh. KK. Have fun." She says with a bright smile.

'I love when she smiles like that.' I think to myself as I go back to my lunch, hoping no one sees the blush on my cheeks.

_**Cat POV-Phone Calls**_

"Why were you sitting with Vega?" Jade asks me when I call her.

"She insisted. I'm sorry." I tell her, hiding my face so no one sees the tears starting to rise up.

"I don't want you sitting with her. Never sit with her again." She says, and her anger is clear. "Find a way out of the stupid sleepover this weekend."

"I can't. It's part of an assignment." I tell her, not bothering to ask how she knew.

"I don't care. I refuse to let you anywhere near her." She says, almost yelling.

"Jade. If I do, I'll fail the class. My grade's have been slipping since..." I start, stopping when I realize what I was about to say.

"Since. What." She says, her tone too calm for the situation.

"Since Beck broke up with you and you won't let me study or anything." I say, a few tears slipping down my face.

"Fine. You want to hang out with her over me? Fine." She says harshly, hanging up her phone.

I look up briefly and see Tori turn her head, looking at André. I call my mom, and she answers on the third ring.

"Do you need something Catarina?" She asks, worry in her tone. She's one of the few people who only call my by my full name.

"No, not really. I was just calling to ask if I could stay at Tori's this weekend?" I ask, slightly worried about her answer.

"Of course. Your father and I need to take Frankie you the 'special' hospital again on Thursday and we'll be gone until Sunday evening."

"Okay. Thank you. See you when I get home." I say, smiling a bit. I'm a little offended as well. I'm not as airheaded as I seem to be. I know what they're talking about when the mention my brother and the hospitals he goes to. 'Oh, well, I just hope Jade doesn't get too angry with me'. I think to myself as I head back to the table and sit beside Tori, making small talk with her and André.

**And here is chapter 3. Thank you for reading and please review.**

**Blessed Be.**


	4. Scars In The Light part 1

**Here's chapter 4 of 'From The Darkness To The Light'. To anyone who doesn't like the way I made Jade, I'm sorry. As I've said before, I left my comfort zone to write this story. This will most likely be the only story I write where Jade is so evil to everyone she interacts with, which unfortunately only seems to be Cat.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own VicTORIous, it's characters, or the plot to this story. VicTORIous and it's characters are property of Nickelodeon, and the plot is courtesy of Raiultima.**

_Cat POV_

After school, I ride home with Jade, who is silent the whole time. Occasionally, she'll glance at me, and turn back to the road when I turn to face her.

"I'm picking you up again tomorrow." She finally says as we pull into the driveway.

"Okay." I say, grabbing my bag and quickly getting out of her car.

"You better not sit by Vega again either, got it?" She asks before I can close the door.

"Yes Jade." I say, cringing slightly at her smirk.

"Good. Now close my door." She says, turning her attention back to the front. When I close the door, she quickly speeds out and heads away.

"Hey sweetie." My mom says when I walk in a few moments after watching Jade drive away.

"Hey mom." I say, heading to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water, walking over some random stuff my brother left lying around the house.

"What time are you going over to Tori's on Friday?" She asks, following me.

"I don't know. Maybe right after school." I say, not thinking about how mad Jade would be if that happened.

"Okay. If so, make sure you have your stuff with you when you go to school." She says, giving me a quick hug before she heads out, probably for a late shift at work.

After she leaves, I head up to my room, smiling slightly when the door to my brother's room is open, meaning dad must've taken him to the doctor's again or something. I love my brother, but he scares me sometimes. The only reason I tell everyone the stories about him is a way for me to stay calm. I don't know how it works, but it does.

I close my door behind me and pull out my homework, starting it quickly so I can get it finished without worry when my brother gets back. Halfway though my Algebra homework, my phone rings with 'Naturally' by Selena Gomez, my ringtone for Tori.

"Hello?" I say when I answer my phone, most of my attention still on my homework.

"Hey Cat. What's up?" She asks, sounding slightly nervous.

"Nothing really. Just doing homework." I respond, erasing a problem and redoing it when I notice a mistake.

"Sounds fun." She says sarcastically, making both of us laugh. "Anyway. I called to see what time you were coming over Friday?"

"I don't know. Maybe after school? I can ride with you?" I ask, finishing the problem and starting the next one.

"I don't think that'll work." She says, groaning slightly. "Trina's using my car on Friday because of some stupid reason I don't understand. I have to ride with André that morning, and after school, I'm helping Beck with a short film of his he needed an extra in. I should be home around 6:00, so maybe 6:30?" She asks, nervous again for some reason.

"Sure. I can see if I can borrow my mom's car after school. They're taking my dad's van Friday afternoon to take my brother to the 'special' hospital, and mom usually lets me us her car when they do. So, I should be fine." I say, sounding curious as I finish my Algebra. "Are you okay? You sound nervous or something."

"Huh? No. I'm fine. I need to go. Trina's arguing about something. See you tomorrow Cat." She says quickly, hanging up before I can say 'bye' back.

'That was weird.' I say to myself, starting my design for my costume design class. After finishing the rough outline for a southern belle dress, I put it away and check the time, surprised that it's already 9 at night. 'The dress took longer to design than I thought.' I think as I put everything in my bag and change into my sleep clothes. I set my alarm to wake me up an hour earlier before I go downstairs and grab a quick sandwich for dinner, seeing as how the stove or any other appliance in the kitchen doesn't work because of something my brother did. The fridge is the only thing still working, and hopefully, it'll last.

"Hey honey." My dad says, walking in the front door and dragging my half asleep brother in, laying him down on the couch.

"Hey dad." I say, taking a bite of my sandwich shortly after. "Where did you take Frankie?" I ask, standing in the area between the kitchen and living room.

"Had to get some medication for him before we leave on Friday." He says, walking over to me and giving me a hug. "You getting ready for bed already?" He asks me as we release.

"Yeah. I just finished my homework and I'm a little tired. I set my alarm to wake me up earlier so I can take a shower before school." I tell him.

"That's good. The meds will keep your brother out for a bout twelve hours or so, so don't worry about making too much noise or anything in the morning." My dad says. I like talking to him more than my mom because he doesn't treat my like I'm a little girl. He knows he can say whatever without me being offended.

"Okay. I'm going to bed now. See you tomorrow." I say, giving him a one-armed hug.

"Night Cat." He says, returning the hug before returning to my brother to try to drag him to his room.

Back in my room, I finish my sandwich and lay down, plugging my PearPhone in to make sure it doesn't die on my in the middle of the night.

_-The Next Morning-_

"Catarina." My mom says when I'm on my way out the door to wait for Jade.

"Yeah?" I ask, stopping at the door.

"Why were you up so early today?" She asks, sitting on one of the chairs in the living room.

"I didn't shower last night so I woke up early to take one." I say, hearing a car pull into the driveway. "See you after school. My ride's here." I say, quickly leaving. 'What is she doing up so early herself?' I ask myself, heading over to Jade's car before she honks the horn. 'She must've gotten back only a few hours ago from her job.'

"Hurry up." Jade says as I get to her car.

"Sorry Jade." I say in a quiet tone, closing the door behind me.

The day goes like it does yesterday. Sikowitz tells us that the project is about getting to know someone on a deeper scale, connecting with that person much more. He says it's to help us as actors, to help us connect with the audience.

After school, Jade drops me off and drives away as soon as I close the door.

The rest of the week is basically the same way. Finally, Friday morning rolls around and I wake up with a smile. I told Jade about the assignment after school the day Sikowitz told us about it when she tried to, again, force me to stay with her this weekend. She doesn't like that Sikowitz refuses to let her be my partner.

"Took you long enough." Jade says when I open the passenger door, glaring at me as I enter the car.

"Sorry. My mom stopped me to let me know when they were leaving." I say, looking away from her.

"Ignore her next time." She says, pulling out of the driveway. "What time are you going to her house?" She asks after a few moments of uncomfortable silence.

"About 6:30." I tell her, playing with a stand on my shirt.

"How are you getting there? You know I won't drive you." She says, growling as she speaks.

"My mom told me I can use her car." I say, finally looking up, but still avoiding looking near Jade.

"Good. Tell Vega that after this assignment is done, you're not hanging out with her. Ever." She says, glaring at me when she says 'ever'.

"Okay." I say quietly, biting the inside of my cheek to prevent from crying.

"Good." She snarls out as we make out way to Hollywood Arts. This time, I leave before her, rushing into the school to get away from her.

"Hey Cat." Tori says when I get to my locker.

"Hey Tori." I say, not looking at her. From the corner of my eye, I see her give me a worried look.

"You okay? You look upset." She says, turning to face me.

"I'm fine. Just worried about my brother." I lie, instantly regretting it because I hate lying, and because the worry on Tori's face grows.

"Is he okay?" She asks, placing her hand gently on my shoulder.

"Yeah. It's just the new medication they put him on makes him almost comatose." I say, not really lying about that part at least.

"I'm sorry." She says, rubbing my shoulder.

"It's okay." I say, putting on a fake smile. "Is anything planned for tonight?" I ask, shifting focus to the project, instead of me.

"Nothing really." She says, shrugging her shoulders after taking her hand off of me, grabbing stuff from her locker. "Trina's gone all weekend, and my parents are taking a short vacation. We'll have the whole house to ourselves all weekend." She says, a glint in her eyes.

"KK." I say, opening my locker and grabbing my books. "Where am I sleeping?" I ask, closing my locker after grabbing everything.

"I guess with me. My bed's a queen, so it's beg enough for the both of us. That and Trina took over the spare room with her clothes she doesn't even wear." She says with a sigh, grabbing the last of her books and closing her locker. "What do you want to have for dinner tonight?" She asks, giving me her full attention.

"I don't know. I was thinking sushi, but we have that every week." I say, hoping she doesn't catch my lie. The only reason I don't want to go out anywhere is because I know Jade will find me.

"Okay. When was the last time we had pizza? The gang is rarely over anymore, so we haven't had to order it in a while. Want that?" She asks, eyes shining with hope.

"Sure. That sounds fine." I say as the bell rings for class to start. "See you later Tori." I say, giving her a quick hug before rushing off to class.

No POV

Throughout the day, Cat rushes to class, avoiding her friends after lunch. The reason? On her way to lunch, Cat was stopped by Jade. Jade, surprisingly, didn't threaten her. All the Goth did was tell Cat that she's picking her up Sunday evening for dinner. At first, Cat thought Jade was calming down, but when she turned to head to the Grub Truck to get a salad for lunch, Jade stops her.

"Tell no one you're having dinner with me Sunday. Don't tell anyone, Vega especially, that you have plans. If anyone asks, your parents insist you stay home to eat with them. Got it?" She asks, her tone low and threatening.

"Got it." The red head says, shaking slightly.

"Good." Jade says in faux gentleness, a smirk at how scared Cat seems.

'I should have known she wasn't actually nice.' Cat thinks to herself, heading to get her lunch.

The rest of the day isn't eventful. In the classes she shares with Jade, Cat would sit beside her, but keeping her gaze elsewhere. In her classes with Tori, Cat noticed that the Latina always sat beside her, even if she would have to get up from her original seat to do so.

"I'm driving you home." Jade says, pulling Cat away from the front of the school, her grip tight on the still bruised arm of Cat.

"Where are we going Sunday?" Cat asks as the pull out of the school parking lot, her gaze on the passenger side mirror.

"You'll find out Sunday. What were you and Vega talking about before class this morning?" She growls out, grip on the steering wheel tightening.

"Just going over final plans for the sleepover." Cat says, willing her heartbeat to calm down. She notices Jade send her glares every few moments, and Cat is freaked out by them.

"See you Sunday. 7:30. Don't make me wait." Jade says as they pull into the Valentine driveway.

"KK. Bye." Cat says, barely having the time to close the door behind her before rushing off.

Cat POV

After doing my homework, I go over my weekend bag and make sure I have everything. After seeing that I do, I text Tori to see if she's ready for me. After checking the time, seeing that I still have an hour, and Tori's text saying that I can stop by whenever, I grab my bag and head out, grabbing my mom's car keys as I go.

The drive to Tori's takes a half hour, fifteen minutes longer than it usually does. One reason is the car was low on gas, so I had to re-fill it. While I was filling the gas, I started thinking about how Tori's been acting recently. It's as if she has a crush on me, but that can't be. Right?

After I finish getting gas, I head back on my way to Tori's, my thoughts about her actions slipping away as I drive. After pulling into the driveway at the Vega house, I grab my bag and head in, locking the car behind me.

"Hey Cat." Tori says with a smile, opening the front door before I even get to the porch.

"Hey." I say, a little surprised as I walk up and hug her.

"Sorry. I was bored and when I heard you pull up, I went to open the door. Come in." She says, backing away and letting me in. "Pizza will be here in about ten minutes or so. What do you want to do?" She asks, sitting on one of the couches.

"Is it okay if I go take a shower? I'm a little sweaty from gym and sticky because of the mugginess outside." I ask, sitting a short distance away.

"Sure. There are no towels in the bathroom. Trina used them for something. I don't know what. But there are clean ones in the laundry room. Go up and I'll grab you a towel." She says with a wide smile, frowning slightly when talking about her sister.

"KK." I say, standing up and grabbing my pajamas from my bag, as well as the shampoo/conditioner I use and body wash.

I head up and close the door behind me, not thinking about locking it since I'm used to no one being around when I shower at home. My parents have their own shower and I don't know about my brother. I don't waste much time stripping off the clothes, turning the shower on in just my bra and boy shorts.

"Here's your towel. Oh my god! Cat! What happened to you!?"

**Another cliffhanger, but this one is actually intentional.**

**Next chapter is Cat and Tori talking. I don't know how long chapters are going to be from this point on, but I will try to make them close to this.**

**Thank you for reading and reviewing.**

**Blessed Be.**


	5. Scars In The light part 2

**We find out some things about Jade in this chapter. She's more abusive than what I've shown. To any Jade fans, I'm sorry about this. I love Jade, she's been my favorite character since the beginning, but for this story, it's all I can think of for her character.**

**I hope this doesn't make any of you hate me. Thank you for reading and reviewing.**

"Here's your towel. Oh my god! Cat! What happened to you!?"

Cat turns around quickly and stares at Tori, eyes wide in fear. "Nothing. I'm fine." She says quickly, backing away as the Latina nears.

"That is not nothing." Tori says, looking at the bruise on Cat's forearm. "Tell me what happened. Please." She begs.

"I can't." Cat says quietly, throwing on her shirt to cover the bruises.

"Who has done this to you?" She asks, slowly walking towards Cat, holding her arm out to gently rub Cat's arm.

"No one." Cat says, flinching from Tori's arm.

"Was it your brother?" Tori asks, calmly sitting down beside Cat and rubbing her arms gently.

"No."

"Your parents?" Tori asks, hoping it isn't, but needing to know.

"No. No one did it. I accidentally bumped into the wall and some doors. That's it." Cat says, avoiding Tori's eyes, sounding unconvincing.

"It was Jade. Wasn't it?" Tori asks, gasping when Cat quickly looks away.

"No." Cat says, starting to shake slightly as tears roll down her face. "Jade's my friend, she needs me." She says before mumbling incoherently to herself.

"Cat. You need to tell me why she's doing this. She can't continue to do this. If she really was your friend, she wouldn't hurt you." Tori tells her, pulling the red head onto her lap, holding her close.

"She needed a friend, so I was her friend. She doesn't mean to hurt me. She can't help it." Cat says, her tears increasing.

Somehow, Tori convinces Cat to tell her everything she can about what Jade's done with her. She spends hours talking, crying in between breaks. All Tori could do is sit there, holding the red head, tears of her own. Cat tells her about how after Beck and Jade broke up, how Jade started forcing Cat to hang out with her every chance she had. How abusive Jade became, not letting Cat interact with the others for any reason other than schoolwork, using abuse to make Cat follow her. Not just physical either, according to the red head.

As Cat talks, she starts to drift off, falling asleep unknowingly against Tori's chest.

As careful as she can, Tori picks up Cat and carries her into her room, laying Cat on her bed and covering her with a blanket.

"You're safe here." Tori whispers into Cat's ear, kissing her briefly on the forehead before silently walking away, closing the door behind her.

"Hey honey. You okay?" Her father, David, asks.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Tori says, using her acting talents to hide her thoughts. "What are you doing here? Thought you had the night shift tonight?"

"I do. I'm just here to grab my badge. Forgot it." He says with a smile, heading into his room. "Is Cat here?" He asks after seeing his daughter follow him.

"Yeah. She was tired so she's laying down." Tori says, watching as her father grabs his police badge from the dresser. "Why do you have a gun under your pillow?" She asks, noticing a small bit of the weapon under the white pillow case.

"Back up. It's the one I head when I was a rookie, before they gave me the new one. They let me keep it, so I leave it here in case of emergencies." David says, not surprised that his daughter noticed it or asked. "I taught your mother how to shoot, and Trina too. I haven't had the chance to teach you yet though." He says, fixing his clothes as he turns to face his youngest daughter.

"Why did you teach Trina?" Tori asks, walking into the room and shifting the pillow, hiding the gun.

"I want my girls to know how to defend themselves." He says with a smile, laughing as his daughter hides the gun. "I need to go. I'll be back sometime in the morning. You need money for a pizza or something?" He asks, following her as she heads out the door.

"No. I'm good." She says, watching as he closes the door. "Where's mom?" She asks, following her father downstairs.

"Spending a couple of nights at your aunt Sonja's. Sonja's not doing too well after her surgery, so your mother volunteered to watch her until Sonja's husband gets back from his trip." He answers, opening the front door. "Bye, Tori. See you later. I love you." He says, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead.

"Love you too." She says, waving to him as he leaves the house.

_Tori POV_

"Tori?" I turn around, looking at a tired Cat at the bottom of the stairs.

"You're already awake?" Tori asks, gently, heading towards Cat.

"Yeah. I guess I wasn't that tired. What happened?"

"What do you mean?" I ask her, guiding her to one of the couches.

"Why was I in your bed? I don't remember anything after you walked into the bathroom." Cat says, leaning against the couch.

"You really don't remember?" I ask, surprised.

"No. What happened?" She asks, yawning briefly.

"I walked in and saw the bruises and cuts on your arms and back. You denied them, but it was hard to miss. You then said they were from walking into doors and walls, but the injuries don't match. Did Jade do this to you?" I ask, knowing the answer, but needing her to hear it. Not just for me, but she needs to say it as well for herself.

"It doesn't matter." Cat says, pulling away from me.

"Yes it does. Let me help you."

"Yes. She did it. She doesn't like me hanging out with you and the others. She thinks I'm betraying her, but I'm not. I just want to be her friend again, but she's mean." She says, starting to cry again.

_No POV_

The two teens sit on the couch. Tori sits silently as Cat cries on her shoulder, no words between either girl.

After an hour, Cat stops crying and looks up at Tori, tears still in her eyes.

"Tori?" She asks cautiously.

"Yeah Cat?" Tori says, looking down at her.

"Promise me you won't tell anyone about Jade." Cat says, giving Tori a begging pout.

"Someone has to know. She can't keep doing this to you." Tori says, surprised at Cat's words. "Why would you want this to stay quiet?"

Cat doesn't answer Tori, she simply looks at her, begging pout in place. "Please. For now then. Keep it between us. We can't let Jade know you know."

"I don't think I can, Cat." Tori says, locking eyes with the red head.

"I'm going to go take me shower. See you in a bit." Cat says, getting out of Tori's grip and heading upstairs, leaving a shocked Latina on the couch.

_Cat POV_

As I head up to grab my clothes to change, I turn around and see Tori sitting on the couch, eyes where I was sitting a moment ago, mouth slightly agape.

Fighting more tears, I rush upstairs, grab my clothes from my bag and head into the bathroom. The towel Tori grabbed for me is still in the bathroom, so I close the door and lock it. After undressing, I stare at the bruise on my arm from Jade, rubbing it gently, but still feeling the stinging as I do. Earlier, when Tori rubbed my arm, she was careful not to brush against it, but I still felt it. I hope I hid my pain, knowing she'd only worry more.

I take a quick shower, careful not to apply too much pressure on my arms and back. What Tori didn't see, at least I hope she didn't, was that on my other arm, the one Jade doesn't grab, I've been cutting. It's a way to help with the pain. I know it makes no sense, but I see it as balancing out the pain. The physical pain isn't too bad anymore. I've grown used to it. It's the mental pain that hurts.

Jade doesn't just grab my arm. Not anymore. When she forces me to stay the night at her house, if I mention Beck, Tori, or anyone else in the gang, she kicks me. The good news, if you can say that, is that she does it barefoot. She says it's so I won't wind up in the hospital, no broken ribs or anything. Only bruises.

I know Tori's right, but she's been my best friend for years. I can't brink myself to turn her in or anything.

As I shower, I smile when my thoughts turn to Tori. Since this whole thing with Jade started, Tori's always been there for me. A while ago, I think I started to develop a crush on her. I didn't think I would like girls that way, but I'm not against it. Over the last few days, I realize that I do have a crush on her, and maybe that was why I told her everything about Jade. I didn't mean to, it just happened.

I hope I can keep her from saying anything though. I know it won't end well for Tori if Jade found out she knew.

I won't let that happen.

**Kind of a serious way to end the chapter, I think.**

**I really do apologize for how I make Jade in this story, but I assure any and all Jade fans that I have no intentions of making her this way again. The bad news is, that by the end of this story, you might hate me for what I do to her.**

**I hope no one hates me for how I make Jade, and how she treats Cat.**

**Thank you again for reading and for your reviews.**

**Blessed be.**


	6. Thoughts Revealed Part 1

_Tori POV_

After Cat takes her shower, I sit down in the living room, the tv on as background noise, not much else. After a while, the pizza I ordered while Cat was in the shower arrives, and gently stands up to pay for the pizza. After closing the door, I turn to see Cat sitting there, her legs held tight against her body.

"Hungry?" I asks awkwardly, walking over towards the table.

"Little bit." Cat says, slowly standing up and following me.

"You could have stayed in the living room. I would have happily brought you your slices." I tell her, grabbing a couple of paper plates from the cupboard.

"It's okay." Cat says, her usual tone diminished. "You can't say anything to anyone Tori, alright? I don't want Jade to know I told anyone, and you know how people will react if they find out." She says, sitting in one of the chairs.

"I really don't think I can keep this a secret Cat." I say as I hands Cat a plate. "What she's doing to you cannot continue to happen."

"Please, Tori? For now at least?" Cat begs, tears in her eyes.

"For now. Yes. But I can't promise how long it will last." I say, sitting down in the chair beside Cat. "Why do you let her do this to you?" She asks, worry in her eyes and voice.

"I already told you. She's my friend, and I'm the only one she has left." Cat says, taking a couple of slices of pizza out of the box and nibbling on one.

"If she really was your friend, she wouldn't hurt you." I say, forgetting the pizza. "Why does she hurt you?"

"She doesn't." Cat says, head down, avoiding my gaze. "She just gets a little rough at times."

"Cat. You have bruises on both arms, your back, legs, and stomach. You flinch when anyone gets more than a foot away. She's hurting you." I tell her, my voice heavy with worry and fear.

We sit in silence, barely eating or moving. We don't do anything for almost an hour, when Cat finally finishes eating her pizza and stands up to throw away her napkin and put her plate in the sink.

"I'm going to bed early." She says quietly, walking past me without a glance. I watch her go up, a silent tear rolls down my face as I see her shake slightly and softly cry on her way up the stairs.

After I don't hear anymore footsteps, I stand up and put my half eaten slice of pizza in aluminum foil and put it in the fridge, closing the box and put it on top of the stove before setting my plate in the sink, rinsing off my plate and hers. After rinsing off the plates, I head upstairs, opening the door to my room to see a crying Cat on my bed in a fetal position.

Not knowing what to do, I head to my adjoining bathroom after grabbing a change of pajamas to get ready for bed. Even though it's barely nine at night, I feel exhausted and I don't know why. After changing and washing my make-up off, I head into my room and grab some extra blankets and pillows and set them down on the floor beside my bed.

"Night Cat. See you in the morning." I say, barely audible as I lay down.

No POV Next Morning

Early the next morning, Tori wakes up slowly and stands up, glancing at her bed and sees a still Cat in bed, back to Tori.

"Let me help you." Tori says quietly as she picks up the blankets and pillows and sets them in her closet, out of the way. Grabbing a change of clothes, she heads into her bathroom to take a shower, thinking about Cat. After her shower, Tori steps out of her shower and shuts off her shower, drying off as she continues to think about Cat. After she changes into a pair of comfortable jeans and a navy blue short sleeve shirt. Doing her make-up lightly, she tosses her towel in her hamper as she heads back into her room, Cat still laying down.

"Hey." Cat says as Tori starts to fold up the blankets she used the night before.

"Morning." Tori says with a soft smile, sitting on her bed as Cat sits up. "How'd you sleep?"

"Okay." She says, not looking at the half-Latina. "Are there any plans for the day?" She asks, using her hand to brush her hair back.

"Nothing planned. Anything you want to do?" Tori asks, looking at her friend and secret crush.

"Not at the moment." She says, standing and heading into the bathroom without a single glance at Tori.

"I'm going to start breakfast." Tori says loud enough so Cat can hear. After a barely audible 'Okay', Tori heads downstairs to start breakfast. She grabs a loaf of bread, some bacon from the freezer, eggs, and sausage. After moving the pizza from last night and turning on the stove, Tori grabs some pans out to start the bacon and eggs. Putting a couple of slices of bread in the toaster, she opens the fridge to grab the jam and butter for the toast.

"I'm sorry about last night." Cat says as Tori takes the toast out and sets it on a plate, putting two more slices.

"Don't be. You have nothing to apologize for." Tori says as she cooks the eggs and bacon. When the bacon is done, she starts the sausage, putting some of the bacon on one plate, the rest on the other, and the two finished eggs on the plate with the bacon and toast. "You want any sausage?" She asks, setting the plate on the table in front of where Cat sat at the table.

"Sure." Cat says as she takes the jam and butter and spreads them on the toast. "I know you already promised not to tell, at least promised to the best of your ability, but I need you to promise me again." Cat says, looking up from her breakfast.

"You know I can't do that. I promised to try my best, and that's the most I can do." Tori tells her honestly, turning back to the food so it doesn't burn.

After a few more minutes, Tori sets a few sausage links on her plate, putting the rest on her plate as she puts the rest of the toast on her plate, starting on her eggs. When the eggs are finished, Tori puts the eggs on her plate and then sitting in the seat in front of Cat. "Want some orange juice or something to drink?" Tori asks, glancing up to the silent redhead.

"Orange juice please." Cat says, keeping her head down as she eats.

"Okay." Tori says, quietly standing up and heading to the fridge and taking the carton of orange juice out and two cups from the cupboard. After pouring the juice and putting the carton away, she sets one cup in front of Cat, the other in front of her as she sits down.

_Cat POV_

We sit in silence as we eat, occasionally glancing up at the other as we do. Even after we finish breakfast and Tori washes the dishes and sets them in the dish drainer and we head into the living room and watch random shows in silence. After close to an hour of the tv being on, I stand up.

"I'll be back. I'm gonna go get dressed." I tell Tori, heading upstairs, ignoring the worried look she's giving me. I know she's worried about me, but I don't think I can handle looking at her right now, knowing she wants to help me when she can't.

Entering her room, I grab a change of clothes from my bag and head into her bathroom, taking a quick shower and brushing my hair afterwards. After I get dressed and put on enough make-up to hide the small bruise on my cheek from something Jade did a few days ago. When I'm done, I put my sleep clothes in my bag and head back downstairs, seeing Tori watching a Katy Perry video on tv, and based on how she acted when I came downstairs, she's not paying attention to the video.

"Hey." Tori says as I sit beside her. "You look a little tired."

"I'm fine." I tell her, giving her a fake smile.

"How about we go to the zoo?" She asks, a smile on her face. "We haven't gone there yet or done anything as just the two of us since we last did a 'Funny Nugget Show', and that was months ago. Want to?" She asks, sounding and looking hopeful.

"Sure." I say, turning to face her slightly as she shuts off the tv before standing up.

"Ready to go?" She asks, facing me.

"Yeah. Do I need anything?" I ask, standing up.

"No. It's on me. All you need is your phone in case someone calls you." She tells me, her smile never leaving.

"Okay. Thanks." I say, following her out the door. When I hear her lock the door behind her, I follow her again to her car, silence as we step in.

'I hope the zoo relaxes me.' I think to myself as we pull out of the driveway.

**The chapter name will come into play next chapter, and there are three parts to the chapter. I know this chapter had some revealing thoughts, at least to me, but the big one will be next.**

**To anyone who watches Sam & Cat, who noticed that the five students for Sikowtiz's backwards acting excercise were dressed like Jade, Tori, Beck, André, and Robbie?**

**Thank you for everyone who has stuck with me for this story, I appreciate everyone's reviews, favorites, and follows.**

**Blessed Be.**


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